Migrant Workers Must Not Be Charged for Food, Water & Travel: Apex Court
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The
Supreme Court has on Thursday asked the states to pay the bus and train fares
being charged from the migrants heading their natives due to loss of employment
during the corona lockdown.
Supreme Court bench comprising Justices
Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul and MR Shah said that the migrant workers should not be
charged any fare for the journey. The states should bear all kind of fares
including train as well as the bus fares. Besides, their travel costs will have
to be shared between the sending and receiving states with respect to their
arrangements, the court said. “The states must ensure that all migrant workers,
who are stranded at various places, are being provided proper food by the concerned
state and UT”, the court said.
The SC has also ordered that the way they
distribute foods must be publicized and notified to the migrants for the period
they are waiting for their turn. The originating states will provide meals and
water. Rest of the way, the Railways has been directed to provide meals and
water. Besides, food and water to be provided in buses, too”, the Court said.
The Apex Court had on May 26, 2020 taken cognizance of the miseries of migrant workers and said that there were “inadequacies and certain lapses” by the Centre and the states, and asked them to provide transport, food and shelter immediately free of cost. Consequently, hearing the PIL on the migrant crisis in India, the SC bench said on Thursday that it was concerned with the miseries and difficulties of migrants trying to reach their respective natives.
